Pope denounces prostitution, pornography

(November 07, 2011) It is time that we vigorously put a stop to prostitution and the vast proliferation of erotic and pornographic material and content, especially in the internet. Pope Benedict XVI made the call on Monday while receiving the new ambassador of homeland Germany to the Holy See, Reinhard Schweppe, who presented his credentials to the Pontiff at a formal ceremony in the Vatican. Stressing that every person, both man and woman, is made for each other, the Pope condemned prostitution and pornography as a “discrimination against women”, saying it results from a materialistic and hedonistic tendency in the West. He said that a relationship that does recognize the equal dignity of a man and a woman is indeed a grave deficiency for humanity. The Pope said the Holy See will see that the action of the Catholic Church in Germany against this type of abuse is very decisive and clear. The 84-year old German Pope also noted that today some fundamental human values are being put to question again – that of the dignity of man as man. In this regard, the Pope said, the Church goes beyond her realm of faith and sees it her duty for the good society to defend the truths and values on which rests the dignity of man as such. “A society is only truly human,” the Pope said, “when it respects and fully protects the dignity of every person from conception until natural death.